Acoustic device



N. BLOUNT ACOUSTIC DEVICE Filed July 15} 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

May 5, 1936.

I INVENTOR N.BL ou/vr WW6 11w!- ATTORNEY N. BLOUNT ACOUSTIC DEVICE May 5, 1936.

3 Sheets-sheaf, 2

Filed July 13, 1934 INVENTOR B y N .BL OUN T ATTORNEY Patented May 5, 1936 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Bell Telephone Laboratories,

Incorporated,

New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 13,1934, Serial No. 734,892

16 Claims. (Cl. 119-103) This invention relates to acoustic devices, and, more particularly, to a hand telephone or ,telephone handset.

An object of this invention is to simplify the structure and to facilitate the assembly of hand telephones, for,instance, of the type used by telephone linemen.

A feature of this invention comprises a hand telephone having a unitary support for a receiver and a transmitter, the support being composed of a resilient or flexible material, or shock absorbing material, such as rubber.

Another feature of this invention comprises a hand telephone having a unitary support for a receiver wit and a transmitter unit, the support containing recesses or hollow portions to receive the units, the recesses being defined by walls of extensible material adapted to contract about the units to hold them in position.

Still another feature comprises a hand telephone having a support for a receiver unit, a transmitter unit, and an impulse transmitter or calling dial, the support being elongated and having enlarged, recessed or hollow end portions, one

of which is adapted to receive one of the units and the dial, and the other of which is adapted to receive the other unit, the units-and the dial being held-in position by flexible flange, or extensible, or resilient portions on the support.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a hand telephone or telephone handset comprising a unitary support, preferably of a resilient or flexible material, such as rubber, having a hollow handle portion to receive a fingeractuable switch, and having enlarged, recessed or hollow end portions adapted to receive a transmitter unit, a receiver unit, and an impulse transmitter or calling dial, the recesses having their open ends defined by flexible flange, or extensible,

' or resilient portions adapted to contract about and to hold the units and dial in position in the recesses.

A more complete understanding of this invention will be obtained from the detailed description which follows, read with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of an acoustic device embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the device of Figs. 1-3, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a perspective view 01 the device of Fig. 1, exploded to show the units associated therewith;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the device of Fig. 1 along the line 6-6 thereof, with the receiver and impulse transmitter or calling dial removed;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the device of Fig. 1 along the line 1-1 thereof with the receiver unit, calling dial and switch unit removed;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the device of Fig. 1 along the line 8-8 thereof, with the transmitter 10 unit removed;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the device of Fig. 1 along the line 9-9 thereof, with the switch unit removed;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the device of Fig. 1 15 along the line Ill-l 0 thereof, with the switch unit removed;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view along the line ll--ll of Fig. 4 to show the detafls of the switch unit; and 20 Fig. 12 is a schematic showing the electrical connection of the various units embodied in the device of Fig. 1.

The acoustic device of-this invention comprises a hand telephone or telephone handset, desig- 25 nated generally I5. It comprises a unitary support l6, preferably of a resilient, flexible, or shock absorbing material, for instance, rubber, having a handle or hand grip portion I1 and enlarged,

recessed or hollow end portions l8, I9. 30

The handle I! is hollow, defining a substantially rectangular-sectioned passage 20 that connects the recesses 2 I, 22 of the end portions l8, l9, and contains a unitary switch assembly 23. A pair of grooves 24 in one defining surface of the 35 passage 20 are adapted to receive conductors that extend between the recesses.

The recess 2i extends through the end portion l8 and is adapted to receive and house a calling dial or impulse transmitter 25 in one open end 26, and a unitary telephone receiver assembly 21 in its other and oppositely disposed open end 29. The open end 26 is defined by an annular, flexible, flange portion, or a resilient or extensible wall portion 29 containing an annular groove 30 and having an inner frusto-conically shaped surface 3I that converges toward the open end 26. Normally, the internal dimensions of the portion 29 are smaller than the outer dimensions of the calling dial so that, when the latter is inserted into the open end 26 by stretching the portion 29, with its case 32 adjacent the portion 3| and its flange portion 33 in the groove 30, the flange portion 29 contracts around the dial, holding it se- 55 curely in place, as shown clearly by Fig. 4. It will be noted that the frusto-conically shaped portion assumes a substantially cylindrical shape with the dial in position. The open end 28 is defined by a substantially annular, flexible, flange portion, or a resilient or extensible wall portion 34 containing a substantially annular groove 35,

the internal dimensions of the flange portion being slightly smaller than the external dimensions of the unitary receiver 21, which includes an earpiece or centrally apertured cap member 38. The receiver unit is insertable in the open end 28 by stretching the flexible portion 34 so that the rim portion 31 of the unitary receiver is positioned in the groove 35, the flexible flange contracting about the receiver and maintaining it in position in the open end 28 of the recess 2|.

The open end 38 of the recess in the end portion I9 is defined by a substantially annular, flexible, flange or resilient or extensible wall portion 39 containing an annular groove 48 whose lateral defining surface 4| is substantially frusto-conically shaped, converging toward the open end of the recess. The internal dimensions of the flange portion 39 are slightly smaller than the external dimensions of the transmitter unit 42. The transmitter unit, which may be of the granular carbon type, and be provided with an apertured protector plate 43, is inserted in the groove 48 by stretching the flexible flange, which contracts around the unit to maintain it securely in position, the groove assuming a substantially cylindric'al shape.

To remove the calling dial, the receiver unit, or the transmitter unit, the flange portion surrounding the respective unit-is stretched radially outward to enlarge the open end to a size permitting the unit to drop out or to be lifted out.

In a handset constructed in accordance with this invention, it was found satisfactory to make the internal dimensions of the flange portions 5 per cent to 7 per cent-smaller in diameter than the external dimensions ,of the respective units.

The unitary switch assembly 28 comprises a substantially U shaped e tallic frame member 44 adapted to be slidab y'i'nserted' in the passage 28 and supporting on the inner surface of one leg 45 a pair ofcontact springs 48, 41. The ends 48, 49 of these springs are normally out of contact, while the other ends 58, 5| are spaced apart by insulating discs 52, and are fastened to the frame leg 44 by screws 53 that thread into a clamping plate 54. A condenser 55 is frictionally supported at the open end of the frame member. Near the closed end of the frame member, the legs 45 and 58 contain coaxial apertures 81, 88 of diil'erent sizes in alignment with apertures 58, 88 in the handle. IT. A flnger-actuatable rod 8| extends through these apertures. The rod 8| has a central enlarged portion 82 containing a groove 83 into which the contact spring member 48 is adapted toride. A spring metal member 84, secured at one end to the leg 58 of the frame member by screws 85 and clamping plates 88, 81, engages at its other end with one end of the portion 82. The frame member is maintained in position by a metallic bushing 88 that surrounds the rod 8| and'threads into the aperture 51. To close the contact between springs 48, 41, pressure on the rod 8| against the restoring action of the spring member 84 is necessary. When it is desired to open the contact once again, the pressure onthe rod is removed, the movement of the rod being expedited by the restoring action of the member 84. The contact springs are connected into the hand telephone circuit by conductors 88. The fimction of the switch is to enable cutting the condenser out of the circuit when desired.

A cord 18 for connecting the hand telephone to a telephone circuit has entrance to'the hand telephone through a passage or opening 1|. The transmitter, receiver, calling dial, switch and condenser are suitably electrically interconnected in the usual well known manner, as shown by Fig. 12.

While this invention has been disclosed with reference to a speciflc embodiment, it is to be understood that various other embodiments thereof are devisable without departing from the scope of the invention, which is to be considered asllimited, therefore, by the appended claims on y.

What is claimed is:

1. An acoustic device comprising a transmitter unit, a receiver unit, and a common unitary support for said units, said support having a handle portion with recessed end portions and being entirely of a resilient material, said recessed portion: being extensible for the reception of said uni Y 2. An acoustic device comprising a receiver unit, a transmitter unit, and a unitary support for said units, said support having a handle portion having recessed end portions to receive said units,

said end portions having portions thereof of flexible material resiliently contractable about said units.

3. A unitary support for a telephone transmitter unit and a telephone receiver unit, said support having a handle portion having hollow end portions for said units defined by wall portions of a resilient material and normally of smaller internal dimensions than said units.

4. An acoustic device comprising a plurality of telephone units, and a common hand support for said units, said support being entirely of rubber and having hollow portions to receive the respective units, said hollow portions being deflned by resilient, extensible wall portions initially of smaller internal dimension than the respective units and which, when 'said units have been forcibly inserted in said hollow portions, contract about said units.

5. A hand telephone comprising a transmitter unit, a receiver unit, and a unitary support having a handle portion with recesses at its ends to have said units enclosed therein, the open ends of said recesses being deflned by-flexible flange portions for holding the units in said recesses.

6. A hand telephone comprising a transmitter unit, a receiver unit, and a unitary support of rubber having a handle portion with recesses at its ends to receive saidunits, the recesses having portions contractable about said units when inserted in said recesses to hold them in position.

7. A telephone set comprising an elongated unitary supporting structure, a transmitter unit within one end of said structure, and a receiver unit and a calling dial within the other end of said structure, said supporting structure comprising resilient portions contractible about each of said units and dial to hold them in position.

8. A unitary support for sound wave translating units comprising an elongated body of a resilient material having a hand grip portion and recessed end portions for said units, each of said end portions having a flexlble portion containing aninternalgroovetoreceiveatleastapaxtof one of said units.

aaunitarysupportforsoimdwavetranslatinglmits ccmprisinganelongatedbodyoirubber having a hollow handvgrip portion to enclose a switch unit, and recessed end portions to enclose said translating units, each end portion having a resilient wall portion that contracts around the unit when the latter is inserted in the recess 01' the end portion. I

10. A unitary support of resilient material for a hand telephone set comprising a transmitter unit, a receiver unit, and a calling dial unit, said support having a handle portion and hollow portions at theends oi the handle, the hollow portions being defined by walls each containing an internal groove to-receive at least a part of one of the units, the walls being contractable about the units to hold them in position.

11. A unitary support of resilient material for a hand telephone set comprising a transmitter unit, a receiver unit, a switch unit, and a calling dial unit, said support having a handle portion and hollow portions at the ends of the handle. the hollow portions being defined by walls each containing an internal groove to receive at least apartotoneoitheunimthewallsbeingcontractable about the units to hold them in position. the handle containing a passage connecting with the hollow portion and adapted to enclose said switch unit slidablv insertable therein through the hollow portion for one of said units.

12. A unitary supportior a transmitter unit.

a receiver unit,-a calling am and a switch unit. comprising abodyotresilient material having a hollow handle portion to enclose said switch unit, and hollow end portions, one of said end 3' portions to enclou the receiver unit and the calling dial, and the other end portion to enclose the transmitter unit. the hollow portions being resiliently extensible so that the units and dial maybeiorcedthereintoandheldthereinby contractive action of the end portions.

13.Aunitarysupp0rtasclsimedintheprecedingclaiminwhichtheresilientmaterialis rubber.

14. A hand telephone set comprising a transmitter, a receiver, and an elongated. ne'xible rubber support having recessed portions at its ends (or the reception of said transmitter and re,- ceiver, and an intermediate hand grip portion.

15. A hand telephone set comprising a transmitter unit, a receiver unit. and an elongated. flexible. rubber unitary support having recessed portions at its ends for said units.

16. A hand telephone setcom'prising a transmitter, a receiver, and a support therefor having ahandgripportionandarecesscdportionateach end of said hand grip portion to enclose said transmitter and receiver, said support being flexible and in a sin le piece.

moon Broom. so 

